Early-form HIV protease and drug resistance
The role of the precursor HIV-1 protease in drug resistance.
This work looks at whether an early form of the HIV protease helps the virus resist protease-inhibitor drugs used by people living with HIV.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Case Western Reserve University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cleveland, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11252869 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will use lab methods that lock HIV protease into its precursor (early) form to compare its behavior with the mature enzyme. They will introduce mutations in the protease and nearby cleavage sites to see how those changes affect enzyme pairing and activity. The team will grow viruses in the lab under drug pressure to observe how resistance emerges even when the usual protease mutations are absent. Experiments combine biochemical assays and cell-based tests to track virus maturation, fusion, and replication.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People living with HIV, especially those taking or who have failed protease inhibitor drugs, would be most relevant to this work.
Not a fit: People with HIV who are not treated with protease inhibitors or whose resistance involves other drug classes may not see direct benefit from these specific findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could reveal new ways to prevent or overcome resistance to protease inhibitors and inform better HIV drug design or treatment choices.
How similar studies have performed: Protease inhibitor resistance is well studied overall, but the idea that the precursor protease drives resistance is less explored and represents a relatively novel angle.
Where this research is happening
Cleveland, United States
- Case Western Reserve University — Cleveland, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tilton, John Christian — Case Western Reserve University
- Study coordinator: Tilton, John Christian
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.